Plea against TV shows on Panama case dismissed

LAHORE - The Lahore High Court on Tuesday turned down a petition, seeking directions for Pemra to stop channels from telecasting talkshows on Panama case, for being not maintainable.

Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza issued the order holding that under the democratic norms, the ban could not be imposed on some important issue merely because it was causing mental agony to any citizen. The judge held that the petitioner failed to point out any law to impose such a restriction.

Earlier on July 24, after preliminary hearing of the petition, the judge had reserved the decision on maintainability of this petition.

Farooq Amjad Bismal moved the petition through senior lawyer Advocate AK Dogar, submitting that sub-judice matters cannot be discussed or criticised under the law. He said that TV programmes on such matters might influence courts’ proceedings and were tantamount to contempt of court.

The petitioner stated the Paksitan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) had imposed ban on TVs from holding any programme about any matter pending before the courts. However, he added, nearly all the TV channels were telecasting live and recorded talks shows on Panama case since it was instituted before the apex court.

He requested the court to order government authorities to ensure implementation on Pemra’s ban on TVs’ programs on subjudice matters. But the court dismissed the petiton for being not maintainable.

PETITION AGAINST YDA STRIKES

Meanwhile, the LHC reserved its verdict on a petition seeking ban on young doctors’ strikes on daily basis.

Tahir Hussain, a local resident, moved the petition and submitted that a handful of the members of Young Doctors Association (YDA) had almost made their routine to go on strike over petty issues. During the strikes, the petitoner added, the doctors suspend their duties at public health facilities and even force others to cease work, which poses serious threats to patients’ lives.

He submitted that these doctors play hovoc with the lives of people by closing the emergencies of the public hospitals. The petitioner requested the court to take stern action against young doctors for observing protests and denying health services to even critical patients at public hospitals.